The Brightest Star
by E. GoldSwan X
Summary: Before Queen Susan, there was another girl who had caught the young prince's eye. Five years later they meet again under completely different circumstances. The prince is now a king who still refuses to relinquish the memory of the Gentle Queen. And the girl suffers a fate of being with the man she loves while he doesn't even know her name.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: So here is my another Narnia AU story. This one will contain a lot of angst before it gets a bit fluffy, the rating will change to M with the next chapter. Please let me know what you think. Thank you! :x  
I don't own the characters from the original storybook by C. S. Lewis.

 _ **Chapter 1 - Five Years Ago**_

She was still reading in the grand library, fully immersed into a story of a brave princess who decided to save the neighbouring kingdom and their prince, who she happened to be in love with. The story was so thrilling that she had refused to leave before getting to know how it all ended. She was quiet and discreet so both the professor and the prince had no objections for her to stay there.

"And now, my prince, the constellation of The Bright Crescent." the professor instructed his student who stood by the telescope, moving it in the inquired direction. "Well done, that is correct." he commended with satisfaction after he had looked into the apparatus himself.

The prince grinned widely and swelled his chest with self-esteem worthy his royal status. "I am getting all the way better, am I, professor?" the prince asked in elation, clearly wanting to hear some more praising words.

"You are, my dear prince, you are." the professor agreed and nodded his head while obviously looking for something on his desk. "And which star is the brightest one in this particular constellation, would you know as well?" he asked out of the blue with his nose poking into one of the drawers.

"What? It is not fair, you haven't told me this yet." the prince huffed in exasperation and crossed his arms in front of himself.

"I believe you can also study for yourself, Caspian. Not only rely on what I am going to tell you." the professor grounded him with calm. "I need to go back to my study now. Please, take a better look and I am certain you will know the answer before I am back." and he slowly retreated from the room.

"Hmmm." Caspian grimaced and once again peered into the telescope. "They all look the same. How am I supposed to decide which one is the brightest?" he complained with a clear annoyance in his voice.

"It is the one at the bottom tip of the crescent. It is called Annaglind." the girl spoke up without even glancing away from the book she was reading.

"What?" Caspian asked with raised eyebrows and his head turned towards the girl. "How do you know? You are a .." he didn't finish for she had cut him off.

"Yes, I am a girl. You have got a very sharp eye, indeed." she stated derisively with her face still burried in the book.

Caspian chuckled incredulously for no one had ever talked to him this way. He wasn't quite sure whether to feel insulted or impressed. "Alright. But how does it come that you seem to know so much about it?" he asked her curiously, his voice now lacking the slightly arrogant tone from before.

The girl then decided to slam the book closed and walked over to the prince who currently looked very insecure. "Because unlike you, Your Majesty, I tend to study for myself instead of just relying on what the others are going to tell me."

Caspian let out another small chuckle of astonishment. "Have you been eavesdropping our previous conversation with the professor? I thought you were reading." he shot her a suspicious glance.

The girl only laughed heartedly, "Well, as you guessed correctly, I am a girl and women are known for being able to divide their concentration among several activities at the same time."

He listened to her with interest and studied her features as she spoke. She was close to his age and a sort of adult wisdom radiated from within her though her tiny frame might be giving a wrong impression that she was still just a child.

When she finished, she stepped past him and to the telescope, pushing herself on her tiptoes to take a look, then fell back onto her heels and tilted her head up to gaze at the night sky. "It is better seen from here. When you look at the constellation, your eyes are immediately attracted to the brightest star. The reason why it seems to shine more than the others is that it is the closest one to us." she explained for him with a keen eagerness.

The prince stood by her like frozen, once again devouring each of her words. He couldn't take his eyes off of her, nor he wanted to. The way her voice chimed melodiously, the way her eyes sparkled with childish innocence yet holding a great amount of womanly seductiveness.

"I think you are wrong." Caspian said all of a sudden, staring down at her with an unmistakable admiration.

"Why?" the girl wanted to know as she furrowed her brows at him.

"Because I believe that the brightest star of all has fallen down, right here. And it bears your name." the prince almost whispered, his eyes never leaving her now astounded face.

She stared back at him with a mild disbelief but couldn't prevent the significant blush from creeping up her neck and cheeks. Instantly feeling rather shy and nervous, she averted her eyes and reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear. She wanted to say something in response but before she even got a chance to open her mouth, the professor had muttered from behind them, "So, do you know the answer, my prince?"

And so she only quirked her lips in amusement, glancing at him for the last time, "Good luck with that." Then she moved past him and strode out of the library, bidding the old man good night along the way.

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The following night Caspian's aunt gave birth to a son and the prince's life was put into a great danger for his uncle, lord Miraz, had given his men an order to get rid of him, which technically meant to go and murder him. But the professor was well aware of what had been going on behind the scenes and helped the young prince escape, instructing him to seek the refuge in the woods.

The next day lord Miraz announced that prince Caspian had been kidnapped by the Narnians and immediately set to arrange everything for an upcoming war. The girl, being a daughter of one of the council members, refused to believe the news which had been spreading out and when she learnt that lord Miraz had labeled the prince a traitor and actual leader of the uprising, she knew that there must have been something going on. She visited the professor in his study one particular night and he revealed the awful truth for her. Unfortunately, their conversation hadn't gone unnoticed and soon they both were accused of high treason as well and arrested. The professor was put into a dungeon while the girl was locked up in the northern tower of the castle.

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She was sitting on the cold stony floor, leaning against the equally cold and hard stony wall of the tower room. Her stomach growled unpleasantly, reminding her of the fact that she hadn't been given any food in the last three days. Her dress was torn at places and dirty, her hair a tousled mess. Her face was ashen, though there were a few cuts and bruises, the old blood mixing together with the dried tears on her cheeks.

If only had she kept her mouth shut. But she just couldn't have stood the way Miraz had been condemning the prince and so she had blurted out everything she had thought about the lord and his ill intentions. The girl had realized her deep feelings for prince Caspian when she had been told about his capture. When she had been afraid that she might have never seen him again.

Suddenly, a loud thud came from outside which attracted her attention right away. It was weird, there was no way that someone would have been coming to her, the maids and soldiers always used the other door which led to a staircase and back down to the castle.

She sprang up to her feet, instantly feeling how sore her body was. She went directly to the wooden gate, opening it with caution. Peering into the dark, she could see a boy or a young man standing there with his back on her. Then the door creaked, giving her away.

The boy turned around quickly, eyeing her suspiciously before deciding to approach her. "Hey. Who are you?"

She hesitated for a moment but sensing no harm from the visitor she answered honestly, "My name is Elise. I am lord Bellister's daughter and I have been locked up here because I refused to believe that our prince was a traitor."

"Prince? You mean prince Caspian?" he asked expectantly.

"Yes! You know him? Is he alright? Where is he now?" she poured the questions one after another.

"Oh my! Well.. yes, I do know him. And I think he is fine. At least for now." the dark-haired boy told her.

"What do you mean?" she grumbled almost angrily.

The boy's face fell a little bit and he shrugged, "He is here, in the castle. We are going to take it over and put the reign of lord Miraz to an end."

Soon enough they both could hear the rumble from a battle below and the boy turned from her to send a signal to the fellow warriors waiting patiently on the edge of a forrest near the castle. The raid broke out in a full swing, the sound of metal clashing and the cries of both the soldiers and the raiders filling the air. She had no idea how it had happened but she was helping the boy fight the Miraz's men but when the soldiers had outnumbered them, she grabbed his hand and dragged him outside, closing the wooden gate which he promptly secured by an oddly looking metal thing.

"How are we going to survive this?" she stuttered, her voice shaky and hoarse. "I don't even know your name."

"I'm Edmund." he introduced himself and added, "And don't worry, I'll get you out of here. Just take my hand."

She willingly obeyed but her eyes widened in shock as she watched what he was about to do. "Are you insane?!" she cried out.

"Trust me and hold on tight." he instructed firmly and flashed her a confident smile.

What happened next was beyond her comprehension. They were flying! She had never felt more excited. "How?" was all she was able to get out.

Edmund only grinned which she could not see because he was sitting behind her on the strange flying creature.

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They made it safely to their camp in the Aslan's How where she listened to the whole story and was reunited with the professor and also managed to catch a glimpse of her prince. She had got to clean herself up and was given a decent meal which she felt extremely thankful for.

Later that day, when she regained some of her strength, she took a walk around the How together with the professor, listening to his stories about old Narnia with a keen interest. They eventually came outside and found themselves on a makeshift terrace, encountering the young prince who was sitting there with his legs thrown over the edge, his demeanor calm and rather sad. To her, he looked exactly the same as the immature boy from the library and yet he looked so different now. The transformation was barely perceptible but she could sense it with all her being straight away. And she felt being attracted to him even more.

The professor had started a conversation with the young man and they remained talking easily for a good half of an hour, mostly encouraging the prince to feel more confident and reassuring him of his great ability to become a good king for the land. But their little chat was abruptly cut off by a female voice.

"Caspian!" someone called from behind. "Peter needs to speak to you." the girl informed him in haste.

It was Queen Susan and that was the first time Elise had experienced a twinge of jealousy. Susan was a very beautiful girl, the Gentle Queen of Old nonetheless. She was also very brave and wise, fighting right by the prince's side and together with the others. Elise was nothing like her.

When Caspian had heard her voice calling his name, he swiftly stood up while his eyes remained fixed on Susan. He rushed past Elise and towards the queen, completely forgetting to say words of good-bye to his two companions. It was like everything had disappeared when he had set his gaze at the tall brunette, currently clad more like a warrior than a lady.

Elise's face fell and her heart clenched painfully. He had acted as if she was invisible, as if she wasn't even there. And now she knew why. It became obvious that the prince had feelings for the queen and she didn't matter anymore, she would always be just a girl from the library who might have caught his eye once.

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The battle had been won, Miraz had been killed and Caspian had been crowned as the rightful king of Narnia. The next morning after the celebration of the King's coronation, everybody had assembled at the castle's courtyard to listen to the first speech of their new king. Elise was present as well together with all her family. It turned out that the assembly had been also gathered in honor of the Kings and Queens of Old who were about to return back to their world.

When this news had been announced, she witnessed how Caspian's body had tensed with a clear shock. His eyes had instantly locked themselves with those of Queen Susan in a long, bewildered and desperate stare. He wasn't ready to let her go. Elise could see the whole exchange of their feelings and emotions, topped off by Susan's impulsive kiss on Caspian's lips.

Her heart broke, how she wished to be in the other girl's place! To be the one who possessed his unconditional love and endless devotion. But that wish was condemned to remain only a foolish dream, a dream that would haunt her each night and every day.

And it had been exactly like that for the next five years. And it would have most probably continued this way, hadn't it been for the council members who had decided that the king was obliged to secure his throne and the prosperity of his kingdom with an heir.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I'm sorry it has taken me so long to update, I've got some other stories to work on and also the life's got quite busy :) And obviously the rating remains so far..

 _ **Chapter 2 - Task That Needs To Be Done**_

"What?!" Elise cried out, her brows almost knitted together as she was trying to process the words over and over. "You can't be serious, father!"

"Please, calm down yourself. I really don't understand you, what the others wouldn't give to be in your place right now! You may as well become a queen!" lord Bellister raised his voice in exasperation. He was very proud of his achievement at the discussion or more likely a poll about who should be assigned for the task of bearing the king's heir. He simply couldn't understand why his eldest daughter didn't want to share his enthusiasm.

"Oh! So now you probably expect me to thank you for trading me like some kind of a fine mare meant for breeding! I am your daughter!" she yelled the last words at the short and rather plump man with brown hair and matching beard.

"Exactly! You are my daughter and I did it all for you!" he yelled back at her after he had smacked his hand against a table he was standing close to.

"Really? Because I think you did it only for yourself, father. I know how much you have always wished for the royal title and now, you might finally get it." she uttered with clear resignation in her voice.

"How can you be so selfish? Don't you think of your sisters? You are twenty-two now and nobody wants to court you for those who had been willing, you turned down. Soon you will be past the age for marriage and what then? What about your sisters?" lord Bellister reasoned with her and he knew all too well what to say to get her back into the game.

Elise's jaw clenched as she struggled to contain the emotional storm raging inside of her. She felt the growing anger and a great deal of injustice, finding herself drowning in absolute despair. This was definitely going to be her life's most cruel joke of all. The reason why she had rejected every single suitor who had sparked an interest in courting her, was that she still loved the king who had completely forgotten about her existence. And now here she was, destined to be an unknown girl who had been assigned to deliver the king's heir. And if she succeeded, then she would become his queen. But she didn't want a life like that, she wanted her fairytale - to be married out of love and to have a man by her side who would love her back the same way. If only he would recognize her, if only she would be able to draw his attention again.

"Alright, it has been decided anyway." Elise had declared resolutely before standing up and making a small curtsy for her father, slowly heading out of the room.

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"Where is Elise?" lord Bellister asked in a voice that made everybody sitting by the table shrink.

Eveline and Elaine had exchanged looks before the younger one of them spoke "She said she was not hungry, papa."

Her statement was met with a heavy silence which hung dangerously above their heads. It was clear enough their father was getting furious and the girls braced themselves for the stormy blast that was surely about to come. The elderly man kept quiet but his cheeks were turning red and his breathing quickened significantly.

"Calm down, Cedric. I will go for her." his wife had told him before he could give in to his fury and ruin the dinner for all.

He scoffed, not even looking at her. "After all, it is all your fault, Amelia. I was telling you to keep her on a tight rein but no, you wanted her to have her freedom. Now we can see the disturbing outcome of it."

The tiny and slim woman with reddish brown hair didn't respond to his accusing words but tucked her chair beneath the table with such a harsh and loud thud that all the diners literally jumped on their spots a little. "Marisa, start serving dinner, please. I am not hungry anymore, either." And with that she strode towards the door with her head held high.

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Elise was sitting on the windowsill situated right across from the door to a room she shared with both her sisters and gazed out into the black darkness. She was trying to sort out her thoughts and contain all her feelings and emotions. Occasionally, she looked up at the stars and recalled that night in the grand library when she had talked to Caspian for the very first time. He had made her blush and that was something very rare for her. She tried to remember whether she'd already had feelings for him back then. Why him? Just why had she been so unfortunate to fall for the prince and why had he fallen for another? Why her brain couldn't have convinced her heart to let go? Why did she seem not being able to set her eyes on someone else? Why the hell did she so desperately want to keep loving a man who didn't give a damn about her, a man who maybe didn't exist anymore?

The door creaked open and Elise's mother came in. "What are you doing, my dear? You know your father when he gets mad."

"He is the one who has started all of this." Elise snapped back.

Her mother sighed and walked over to her, taking a seat at the opposite end of he windowsill.

"He means good, you know. Tries to do what he sees as best for you though you may not want it at all. But he loves you." the woman said soothingly.

"Doubt that very much." Elise grumbled with a sneer after she had glanced at her mother, then resumed gazing outside.

"Elise..." the still beautifully looking woman started, "You can't expect to experience the same amazing, wonderful stories you read about. It is not how it works in a real life. Life is tough, much more for us women, I dare to say. Our opinions, thoughts and feelings very often do not matter. We are born and raised to eventually accept our role in the society which can be cruel sometimes."

Elise then turned her face to look her mother in the eye. "Is it really so wrong to have high expectations? To have hope for finding the real happiness and true love, and want to settle for nothing less than to love someone unconditionally and be loved back the same way?"

Her mother stayed silent this time and so the girl looked away. "Were you in love with father when you married him?"

"Yes. I was the lucky one to marry out of love." the woman replied, a dreamy expression plastered on her face.

Elise gave her a sad smile. "I wish I could, too."

"I thought you actually had feelings for the young king." her mother stated bluntly.

The girl let out a sigh. "But he doesn't love me. And honestly, I'm afraid he is not the man I have fallen in love with anymore."

"I am sorry, my dear." the woman sympathized with her eldest daughter. They both had locked their eyes in an intense stare before Elise moved closer and let herself be encircled by her mother's gentle arms.

"Why can't I be like one of those stupid silly girls who would squeak and jump in joy with such an offer?" Elise asked wistfully while her mother was tenderly stroking her hair, combing through her red locks. "Because you are my precious daughter and I am really proud of you, my dear."

They remained silent after that and stayed close together for a long moment but Elise withdrew from her after all. "Thank you, mother."

"I love you, my darling girl. No matter what." her mother told her and kissed her forehead like she had used to do when Elise had been a small child.

They both exchanged reassuring smiles and the woman left the room afterwards, once again leaving Elise alone with her fears and doubts.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3 - The Time Has Come**_

 **Elise's POV**

I poked my head out of the book I was reading to keep my mind entertained and off the events which were to happen this evening, as loud and determined knocks cut through the peaceful silence of the room. _The time has come._

"We are here for your daughter, lord Bellister." one of the maids announced.

"Of course, she is ready." I heard my father say while nodding in my direction.

Reluctantly, I stood up and tried to avoid my younger sisters' looks as well as my mother's wet eyes. I crossed the room at a slow pace and joined the two maids, sparing my father a meaningful glance. I wasn't sure if I would ever be able to forgive him what he had been willing to put me through.

I had been forced to undergo some very unpleasant medical examinations and during listening to a conversation between the doctors and midvives, I had felt like I wasn't a human being but merely an object deemed convenient for the given task. After they had finished their talk, which I had not been much wise of, the midwife had dryly instructed me which activities were now restricted for me and which I should drop completely as well as given me advices what to eat and how I should take care of myself. I also had been told that according to their common agreement, the best time for me to get pregnant was going to come exactly in a week from that examination. For them, it was as simple as that.

I kept telling myself I was doing it for Eveline and Elaine. I knew the rules. If I didn't get married, my younger sisters would not be allowed to marry, either. How utterly idiotic! If I became a queen, I would definitely try to talk Caspian into abolishing this preposterous law. And most probably a few others, too. If I could somehow achieve to change the rules and spare another girl such an undeserved fate, it would be worth it.

But a small part of me was actually excited about all this. Caspian might not be in love with me but nevertheless he was a handsome and very attractive young man. Sometimes I had dreams about him and how we were together. In some of those dreams he would kiss me and gently touch my body, making me feel like I was his most precious treasure, like I was the only one who had ever mattered. If I was honest with myself, I would have to admit that my lips longed for his kisses and my body yearned for his touch, therefore I didn't want to give up my hopes as yet. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, maybe we both could enjoy it.

The maids walked me up to a tower room but very different from the one I had been locked up in before. This one was warm and cozy and nicely decorated, containing a large four poster bed which consumed most of the chamber's space. I swallowed involuntarily at the sight of it, a mere thought that this was the bed I was going to share with the king gave me goosebumps.

"You need to bathe, milady." the maid addressed me carefully.

I turned my head abruptly, "Yes. Of course."

I obediently followed them to a side room where a tub had been placed and already filled up with hot water, steam rising up into the air. I quite marveled at the amounts of various soaps and fragrance essences I had been provided with, not to mention the wide selection of fine gowns, robes and petticoats.

I bathed, trying some of the offered scented salts and soaps, nearly managing to fully calm down. But when I dried myself up and went to put on a petticoat, all the tension returned with great force. I simply snatched the first one and slipped it on, deciding to wear a simple yet beautiful dark green velvet gown with a deep neck over it.

The maids were gone when I emerged from the side room, the silence of the small chamber almost deafening. I didn't really know what to do with myself, I assumed I was just supposed to wait for the king to show up. My mind once again wandered back to the time five years ago and tormented my already troubled soul.

After the Kings and Queens had left, I had dared to hope that Caspian would eventually forget about Susan and move on but the years had gone by and he had still remained living in memories. He had been a great king for the land and its people, I must have given him credits for restoring Narnia to its former glory within not more than three years, but the more he was becoming the king, the less I could see the man behind the mask. He became serious, I hardly saw him laugh the way he had before. He kept busy all the time and I had my own suspicions that he did it on purpose, to avoid thinking about his lost love and what could have been had she stayed here. I did the same.

It had gotten even worse when he had returned from his voyage to Lone Islands, I had heard that Edmund and Lucy had appeared in Narnia again, this time truly without their eldest siblings. Caspian then had thrown himself into his royal agenda and duties as a king, not leaving a space for his personal life. I wondered whether he still had some feelings left inside, whether he still had a heart.

But my chain of thoughts was suddenly disrupted by soft knocks. The sound wasn't loud, yet it echoed throughout the quiet room, ringing in my ears. I felt my heartbeat had taken flight and I had troubles to control my own breathing. All this was a result of the simple fact that the man I still loved with my whole being and who I hadn't had a chance to talk to since the day of Kings' and Queens' departure was now standing on the other side of the door.

 **Caspian's POV**

I was in the middle of reading a new business contract with Archenland when the maids came to knock on my study's door.

"Come in." I invited whoever it was to enter.

Two girls appeared at the doorway, one of them stepped forward with her head bowed low, "Your Highness, milady is ready and waiting for you in the western tower's quarters."

"Thank you. I shall be on my way as soon as I am done here." I dismissed the girl casually. I needed to finish reading the document, I wasn't going to do it all over again tomorrow. Milady could wait.

It hadn't taken me too long, though. In half an hour I was already marching through the darkened corridors in the direction of the western tower. My head was buzzing with so many thoughts and I realized I was growing nervous with each step I took forward.

At first, I'd been positively shocked when the council had introduced me their plan as how to provide an heir for the kingdom but I could have understood their point. With the rightful heir and a queen by my side, our kingdom would have been considered more solid and stable. And due to my inability to choose a woman for myself, they had felt the need to take the matter into their own hands.

I had agreed with their suggestion and plan at last, but on a condition that I would not be told who the girl assigned for this task was as not to get influenced in my neutral posture towards all the lords and council members. Of course I would adjust it when the girl was with a child and it became necessary to accept her as my wife and the future queen. But until then, I didn't want to know her identity.

I honestly wasn't interested in who they would decide to be the one. To me, it didn't really matter. They were all the same, superficial silly girls who only cared about their looks and how to snatch the richest and most noble husband. I had tried several times to get to know some ladies of our court but every attempt had failed miserably. I somehow hadn't been able to stop comparing them to Susan who had set the bar really high. I had eventually accepted the sad truth that no one possessed Susan's natural beauty, her extraordinary courage and personal charm. On my faraway travels I had actually met a star's daughter, Lilliandil, but even her endless beauty couldn't have captured my heart the way the Gentle Queen had.

As I kept on walking, I could already imagine the girl eagerly anticipating my presence, her chest swelling with pride and glee that she was the lucky one to bed the king. I for one had no anticipations or expectations of her, although I must have admitted feeling rather uncomfortable with such a charade. I had never laid with a woman before and I couldn't help but worry that the lass would not be able to hold her tongue about all this. I just wanted to go there, do my thing and leave, and hopefully it was going to be enough for the purpose.

I finally reached my destination and I just stood there for a while, straining my ears, trying to catch some sounds of silly laughter or gleeful twitter but the room was absolutely quiet. So I didn't hesitate any longer and knocked softly on the ornate wooden door.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I'm really sorry for the long time with no updates but I've experienced some great ups and downs in my life and simply didn't have the mood for writing. I hope you all had a merry Christmas and I do believe everything's gonna be better the next year! So happy and lucky new year to all of you! :x

And please note that from now on this is rated M...

 _ **Chapter 4 - Let's Get It Over With**_

The door creaked open and revealed the handsome young king clad in his casual attire, a loose shirt of burgundy colour with an open neck and brown velvet pants complemented with a wide and decorated belt. His dark, shoulder-length hair framed his face just perfectly and his stubble beard only added to the stunning appearance of a man he presented.

Elise took a deep breath while she was taking in his presence, then bowed her head respectfully and kept her eyes casted down as she had been advised before. She had her long crimson locks pinned up in a sloppy bun with a few strands of stray hair which had found a way out of the intricate hairdo. Her bosom was rising and falling at a quick pace as she was still struggling to take control of her uneven breathing.

"Good evening, milady." Caspian muttered reservedly.

"Good evening, Your Majesty." Elise replied politely and risked a fleeting glance at the king's face but was met with his disapproving expression.

"You know why you are here, is that right?" he started and stepped around her to look her over. She didn't seem to be particularly beautiful, but he assumed that no mortal woman could be compared to the beauty of Lilliandil, she simply looked like any other ordinary girl. She was also rather short in comparison to Susan's tall figure.

Elise swallowed hard and nodded. "Yes. Yes, it is."

The king was staying mute, still observing her like she was a piece of goods he had just bought. It was getting on her nerves. Had she known he was going to scrutinize her like this, she would have put more effort into her preparation. She felt like already standing exposed in front of him though she was still fully dressed.

Not being able to stand it any longer, she dared to open her mouth and speak "But I think..."

"I don't remember asking for your thoughts." Caspian promptly cut her off.

That made Elise straighten up and her hands curl into fists at her sides. It staggered her how arrogant he actually was and she had to ask herself why she had remained being in love with him for all this time. He might be a king, a handsome young man desired by many women but that didn't mean he was worthy of her love. She slowly started to realize that he didn't deserve it at all.

Caspian took a notice of her getting all tensed up and her sudden hostile appearance took him slightly aback. Did she take offence at his words? As a king he had become carefree about what he was saying or to whom because nobody would really point out to him that his tone or choice of words had insulted them. No one would ever dare to do so. But this girl currently looked like she was about to punch him in the face. Who she thought she was?!

"Let me tell you we are not here to talk this through, it has been decided and agreed on by the wisest men of our kingdom. If you doubt their decision, I don't understand what you are doing here." he said with a stern voice and his eyebrows raised up in a quizzical stare.

"It's not like I had any other choice." Elise remarked ruefully, averting her eyes from him again.

Caspian had to admit there was something about this girl. The way she spoke and acted, like she was his equal, even his most loyal men and advisors didn't have the nerve to be this bold around him. It piqued his interest though he wasn't sure yet whether he wanted to give her credits for her audacity or punish her for the same.

"There is always a choice." the king countered calmly.

Elise scoffed at that. "Yeah, like giving a convicted person options which way to die."

Caspian held her presumptuous stare and for a moment he seemed to be at a loss for words. He didn't know how to oppose her statement and this whole talk was making him angry. She was incredibly cheeky and the urge to put her back in her place was getting the better of him.

"That's enough. I'm not going to talk to you about this, my time is a way too precious for that. We've got a task to accomplish and the sooner it's done, the better." the king raised his voice and stepped closer as to effectively intimidate her. "Now undress yourself. Or am I supposed to do that?"

Elise made a step back to regain some of her personal space. She had always wished to be this close to him and now, when her long-time dream had come true, she wanted nothing else but to be on the other side of the world.

"I'm perfectly capable of doing it myself." she snapped and began to unlace the front of her dress. Her hands trembled with anger and fear, this shouldn't have been like this. Her eyes burned with unshed tears because she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry. Her mouth was shut but inside she was screaming.

Finally, the gown became loose enough and she could easily slip it off, which left her only with her petticoat on. The room was warm yet she felt the chill running down her back while she was trying to swallow the lump in her throat. Never had she felt this vulnerable before. And she hated it.

Caspian's eyes roamed over her body and at the very moment he looked like a predator watching its prey which had been pushed into a corner. But to her relief, he didn't ask her to get completely naked, instead he commanded her to lay on the bed.

Elise obeyed without another word. She had lost the courage to speak to him once more and she also doubted herself being able to let out a coherent sentence considering she had difficulties just to breathe. She climbed onto the bed and laid down, her whole body became tense with growing nervousness as she was lying on the soft mattress, deliberately staring up on the ceiling. She could hear he was taking off his clothes and soon she felt the mattress had sagged on the opposite side of the bed. Like on an instinct, she squeezed her eyes shut.

The king watched her for a short while, thinking for the moment that most probably she didn't want this as much as him. But he would not go back now. _Let's get it over with._ And he positioned himself above her, guiding his erection to her entrance. It was an utterly new feeling and it felt good though she seemed to be extremely tight. He wondered whether she was doing it on a purpose or it was natural like this. He tried to slowly push forward but it was almost impossible and so he put more force into it which elicited a painful whimper from the girl beneath him who was keeping her eyes closed and clutching the sheets with both her hands.

This time she could not prevent the tears from springing and running down her burning cheeks. She sensed his every move, felt every touch of his body. His hot breath teased the skin below her left ear while his hair tickled the side of her face. How many times had she dreamt about this? But now it all just felt wrong. She was trapped and there was no way to escape. And then it happened, he entered her without a warning and it was very far from a pleasant feeling she had sometimes read about in her stories. She bit her lower lip in attempt to stifle a sob but when he pushed into her forcefully, she couldn't help but whimper in pain. She knew this was the moment he had taken away her precious virtue while not even bothering himself to appreciate it.

Instead of looking down at her pitiful expression, Caspian also opted for closing his eyes and let his natural male instincts to take over. His hips started to pound against hers in a steady rhythm and he selfishly enjoyed the feeling which he could only describe as the greatest pleasure he had ever experienced. He briefly realized she wasn't that tight anymore but wonderfully wet and warm around him. His thrusts became more erratic as he was losing control, fully giving in to his desire to reach his climax. Her little whining noises only encouraged him and he tried to bite back a moan when he was thrown over the edge, spilling his seed inside her womb.

He restrained from letting himself collapse onto her rather petite form and as soon as he recovered from the sweet blackness which had fallen upon him when he had found his release, he carefully pulled out of her with nothing more than a quick glance at her creased face.

Elise was trying her best to lie still and let him have his way with her, she saw no point in struggling against it, the sooner it was over, the better. The pain wasn't going away but it wasn't increasing, either. After some time the king made a strangled noise and stopped moving inside of her from what she could only assume the task had been done. But she refused to open her eyes as yet. She didn't want to see the man, ever again.

Caspian got out of the bed and went directly to the side room to clean himself up. He was glad that it was over and a small part of him felt a sort of satisfaction for teaching the girl a lesson as not to talk to him in the fashion she had demonstrated earlier tonight. He was her king and he would not stand such disrespectful behaviour.

When he returned to the chamber, the girl was lying on the bed in the same position as before, with her eyes remaining shut. Her lower lip was quivering as she was crying silently and suddenly, Caspian felt a pang of guilt.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you." he muttered and pulled on his pants and boots, avoiding to take another look at the poor girl. She didn't respond, didn't even try to open her eyes. And so the king turned away and swiftly left the quiet room.


End file.
